Lifting device.



PATENTED AUG. 25, 1908.

R. W. CASH.

LIFTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED DEG.10,1907.

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ROBERT W. GASH,'OF HANNIBAL, MISSOURI.

LIF'IING DEVICE.

7 Application filed December 10, 1907. Serial No. 405,976.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT W. CASH, a citizen of the .United States, residing at Hannibal, in the county of Marion and State of Missouri, have'invented new and useful Improvements in Lifting Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to lifting devices and the object of the invention is to provide a lifting device which operates'by creating a vacuum adjacent to the surface of the article or object to be lifted, the device, in its preferred form comprising a suction or vacuum head and a pump combined therewith'so as to produce a vacuum within said head, also of the pump barrel and rod, showing the ar rangement of the valves. Fig. 3 is adetail section through the edge of the vacuum head showing a modified form pf contact ring. Fig. 4 is a detail vertical section through the upper end of the pump barrel, showing the manner of connecting the cap to the barrel.

The lifting device contemplated in this invention comprises essentially a vacuum head 1 and a pump 6 for creating a vacuum in said head.

In the preferred embodimentof the invention, the vacuum head 1 is circular or cylindrical and is provided in its contact edge with a groove 2 forming an annular seat for a contact ring 3 which preferably consists of a continuous or endless piece of rubber or its equivalent which is set into the groove or seat 2 and which projects beyond the edge of the vacuum head so that it may be brought into firm and air tight contact with the surface of the'object to be lifted, which object is indicated at 4 in Fig. 1. Centrally (.of its top, the vacuum head is provided with a threaded opening 5'into which is screwed the lower threaded. extremity of the barrel 6 of the pump which barrel is preferably provided with an annular shoulder 7 which is' Specification of Letters Patent.

ment thereof.

Patented Aug. 25, 1908.

screwed down tight against the vacuum head 1 to establish a firm or ti ht connection be tween the parts. In the ottom of the barrel 6 there is arranged a conical check valve 8 having a stop pin 9 which allows only a limited up and down movement of said valve which closes in its downward movement so as to hold a vacuum in the head 1.

Within the barrel 6 operates a'valve rod or plunger 10, the. upper end of which passes through an opening in the cap 23' at the upper end of the barrel 6 and is provided with an operating handle 11. The lower end of the rod 10 is screw-threaded and has thereon oppositely arranged nuts 12 and 13 between I which is interposed a flexible Washer 14 and a supporting metal washer 15, the last named washer being arranged below the flexible Washer 14 and both washers being held firmly in place on the rod by means of the nuts 13 and 12. The rod 10 is" also provided with an L-shaped air passage 16 which extends from the extremity of the rod inward a suitable distance and then laterally outward at one side of the rod, as shown in Fig. 1. The lower end of the'passage 16 terminates in a conical valve seat and coiiperating with said seat is a conical valve 17 having a pin 18 for limiting the u and down move- To one side of the pump is arranged a vacuum gage 19 in communication with the vacuum head 1 by means of a; pipe and at a suitable point in the pipe 20 there is arranged a relic cup 21 by means of which air may be admitted to the vacuum head so as to disengage the same from. the

object which has been lifted.

p The contact ring 3 may either. have a fiat contact edge as shown in Fig. 1, or it may be provided with one or more ribs 22 as shown in Fig. 3 to obtain an air tight joint between the vacuum head and the surface of-the ob' ject being lifted.

The lifting device hereinabove described is especially designed for lifting glass plates but is also adapted for lifting sheet metal or any article having-a flat and comparatively even surface. into firm engagement with-such surf-ace and then by operating the ump the vacuum is established in the head t ius giving the device a secure hold uponthe surface after which the object may be lifted by means of the pump barrel. The gage 19 will indicate when the desired de ree of vacuum hasbeen The vacuum head is pressed vacuum to be dissipated so as to release the hold of the lifter on the object operated upon.

The ca 23 is referably threaded on the up er en 0f the arrel 6 and in order to pro- W e for any heavy lifting, said cap has oppositely projecting studs or pintles 24 to -which are connected the opposite hooked extremities 25 of a lifting ail or eye 26. This lifting bail or eye, which may be de taehed from the studs 24 when not in use, extends up over the pump handle where it may be associated with suitable lifting tackle (not shown). The hall 26 also forms a stop for limiting the upward movement of the handle 11 enabling said handle to be used as a lifting handle.

1. -A lifting device comprising a vacuum head having a flexible contact surface, and a vacuum pump inycommunication with said head and embodying a pump barrel extending perpendicularly upward from the head and an operating pulnyhandle which also constitutes the lifting handle of the whole device.

2. A lifting device comprising a vacuum head having aflexible contact surface, a vacuum pump connected with said head, oppositely projecting studs on the pump barrel, and a bail connected with said studs and extending over the pump operating hanllo.

In testimony whereof I aH'iX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

- ROBERT W. CASll.

VVi tncsses S. (E. SMITH, JAMEs N. (lAsII. 

